The Boat that Rocked
by Deathhappens
Summary: After the Jupiter Lighthouse was lit, two parties of adventurers which previously thought each other enemies must now work together to save the world. And that's just what they sail away to do... If they don't kill each other first. Or sink the boat. Random shipping with no definite pairings in mind, silliness and the occasional serious part.
1. Chapter 1

The Boat that Rocked: A Golden Sun Fanfic

_(Author's notes START! Don't read if you just want the story and don't care about my lunatic rants)_

_Before the story begins, I'd like to thank you for taking the time to click on my story. I'll try not to make you regret it. Already did? Too bad... Anyway. This fic takes place in the middle of The Lost Age timeline, specifically in the boat on the way to Prox, just after the two parties met. I've always thought when playing the game that the interactions between two groups which were ready to fight for the fate of the world a couple of days before and are now (literally) on the same boat, would make for an interesting story, especially since while some of them have known each other since childhood, others have had no impression of the other group other than "enemies". Add in just a liiitle crack humor and you basically have the recipe of the story…_

_This is my first time publishing a story, so please be nice to me. That said, I'll appreciate any criticism you take the time to throw my way, as long as it isn't blatant flaming, so please do try to give me some hints/feedback/whatever about the story :)_

_(Author's notes END! Story START!)_

- GAAAAAAA-RREEEEET!

Jenna's voice echoed in the small cabin like a war trumpet, making everyone in the vicinity cringe until they ascertained they were not the target of the call. They had come to know that tone of voice very well…

…and none better than a certain orange-haired Mars Adept who was timidly emerging from the pantry.  
- Ah, there you are, Garret! Might I have a word with you? Jenna continued, in a perfectly modulated tone of voice that fooled no one.

- Sure, I guess… The accused party shot plaintive glances at the rest of the gallery, but found the rest of the crew quite conspicuously avoiding his gaze: Kraden quickly pretended to sip from an empty cup of tea, Piers developed a sudden interest in the view of the waves beyond the cabin window, and Mia simply shrank, futilely trying to hide behind the pot she was tending to in front of the fireplace. Regardless of Jenna's outward calm, the temperature in the room had risen by about two degrees since she had made her entry. Nobody was foolish enough to place themselves in the crosshairs for the fireworks that were about follow.

Whispering a "Thanks, you guys" after realizing the futility of his efforts, Garret bravely started walking and met with Jenna halfway, placing the two practically in the middle of the room. While he might have outwardly appeared calm, a sharp observer (or simply the friends who had known him for most of his life) would be able to deduce his nervousness from the way he was clenching and unclenching his fists,the slight trembling of his legs... or more importantly, the fact that his ears were starting to glow red before the conversation had even begun.

- So, Jenna began in the same nonchalant tone of voice, I was going through the tasklist for today... You do know what the tasklist is, don't you Garret?

-Yeah, it's the list with the various chores we have to do every day...

-Excellent! So you know what it is! She interrupted. So I was going through the tasklist for today, checking to see if I was on duty somewhere... are you following me?

Despite his ears slowly turning the same shade as his hair, Garret nodded.

- I was going through the tasklist for today, and found that you, Garret, were on laundry duty today... You do know what laundry duty is, correct?

Unwilling -or perhaps unable- to speak, Garret nodded again.

- And so, you see, I was wondering... WHEN IN THE NAME OF THE MOST HOLY WISE ONE DID YOU EVER GET THE IMPRESSION THAT "LAUNDRY" CONSISTS OF TOSSING THE CLOTHES IN _SALT WATER_ AND HANGING THEM OUT TO DRY?

That last line got the attention of everyone pretending not to listen.

- Wait, he did what? Piers interjected. - Salt water? ALL OF OUR CLOTHES?

- Even my lacy underwear? Those took me ages to make! I was saving them for seducing Isaac! Mia exclaimed.

Even the condemned Garret, who was at this point being shaken by Jenna like a ragdoll, turned his head at that.

- I mean... Nevermind! I didn't say anything! Mia blushed and shrunk behind her cauldron again. Meanwhile, Jenna was still shaking Garret with enough force to break his neck. Her wrath was not going to be derailed by little details such as her new ally and roommate having indecent designs for her childhood friend and crush... Wait, what?

- AND SO UNTIL YOU WRING EVERY LAST TRACE OF SALT FROM EVERYBODY'S CLOTHES, YOU WILL BE... Wait, Mia, WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY? She exclaimed, promptly dropping Garret and beginning to march against Mia.

Fearing, perhaps, for the sanity of the party, or the very real possibility that their ancient Lemurian vessel was about to become the stage of a full-blown catfight between Adepts, Kraden placed himself between the two girls.

-Jenna, my dear, I do believe our dinner is ready, so why don't you go and call the others down so we can all eat together? Isaac and Felix are practicing their swordsmanship on the prow, I believe... You wouldn't want Isaac or Felix to miss dinner, would you?

And indeed, while in the beginning it seemed like Jenna was about to just walk all over Kraden in an effort to get to her just-declared rival, the choice words of "Isaac", "Felix" and "Miss Dinner" seemed to reach the red-haired Adept. Throwing a parting glare towards Mia, as if to say "this isn't over", she wordlessly turned towards the stairs leading to the deck.  
The now-apparently-forgotten Garret and the barely-recued Mia simultaneously heaved a sigh of relief. Garret even started a low chuckle, perhaps marveling at still being alive... or perhaps planning the teasing he was going to give his roommate Isaac about the apparent budding rivalry for his affections. Either way, his joy was short-lived as a hand with an iron grip fell onto his shoulder. Turning around, he found a smiling Piers radiating an aura so cold it started freezing over the previously furnace-like room.

-Now, let's see about putting you to work rinsing all the clothes you destroyed...

Despairing, Garret turned to Mia for help. She gave him an angelic smile.

(_Well, I never thought I'd actually see it happen, but here it is. The first chapter of the Boat that Rocked, all typed out and ready for posting! I know it's kind of short, but I'm going to be away from PC for a while and I had to post at least the beginning before I left it. Look forward to longer (as long as I can get them) chapters._

_ In the next episode: Ivan and Sheba appear! Felix and Isaac: Duel of the Leaders! And the final fate of Garret, laundryman supreme! Don't Forget To Tune In!)_


	2. Chapter 2

The Boat that Rocked, Chapter 2: Enter the wind.

_(Author rant, START! Skip now or be subjected to my personal madness! You have been warned. Also, spoilers ahoy (though if you've played the game what is there to spoil anyway?)_

_Well, as promised and much sooner than expected, here it is, the second chapter. I did try to make it longer and I believe I succeeded, though to be honest I had a lot more material ready for this one than for the last. The reason for that is that while I had most of the story so far written, the two chapters were not quite entirely interconnected and Garret's sins and punishment were very different originally, making the first chapter halfway between a modification and an actual rewrite of the story I had in my notebook. This second chapter, I am glad to announce, was far more faithful to the written prototype, making for speedier typing with only the occasional mixing of new elements in the story. There's an anime reference in now, by the way, for the initiated, so if you catch it… well cookie for you :) Before anyone points it out, I am aware that Sheba is hardly old enough for Jenna to expect her to boss Ivan around, since they're both fourteen: Well, no more. For the needs of the story, at least, Sheba didn't know her exact birthday since she wasn't as much born as she fell from the sky, and thus was a bit off with her original estimation. How she found out is a story for a different time, but she's now officially 16, the same age as Mia. _

_As before, if you like something, please take the time to let me know. If you don't like something in particular, also take the time to point it out. Thanks for reading my story __ )_

_(Author's rant END! Story START!)_

A sudden gust breezed through Jenna's hair as she emerged on the deck of the ship that was the team's temporary home. Since the last time she had been on deck -when she had witnessed Garret's _unique_ way of doing laundry, and had nearly fallen overboard as a result- the sun had fallen considerably towards the horizon, nearly touching the sea's surface. Its last rays shone on the dragon at the prow, seemingly bringing it to life as light and shadows played in its carvings, painted the alabaster wings at either side of the hull golden, and set her own normally crimson hair afire.

It was a beautiful sight. Nevertheless, the plummeting temperature, combined with the ever-present spray of water as the boat alternatively dipped and rose on the waves, made for weather one would definitely not want to be outside in. Wishing for the umpteenth time she knew the trick her fellow Mars Adepts and Proxians Karst and Agatio, as well as the now-apparently-dead Saturos and Menardi, knew that allowed them to ignore cold even inside the hailstorms Mia had conjured when Isaac's party had confronted them, back at the top of the Venus lighthouse where they had met their demise, she called out.

-ISAAAC! FELIIIX! DINNER'S READY!

No response.

"Really now, what are they thinking, worrying me like that", and "they deserve to go hungry if they're too busy to even reply" were what Jenna muttered as she started towards the prow, where Kraden had suggested the two Venus Adepts might be hiding. But in her head, she kept seeing Felix –tall, dark and imposing, but thin as a rake- and Isaac –shorter and broader, but still much lighter than he had any right to be- and couldn't help but worry. The weight of leadership, all the way from Vale to Contigo in Isaac's case, from Daila to Contigo but with the added weight of having to fight his own friends along the way in Felix's, had taken a heavy toll on both of the boys, whether they admitted it or not. And yet, despite their own self-doubts and second guessings, both of them projected a similar feeling of stability to her: Felix, despite the years he had been gone, kidnapped to the northern reaches of Wayward by the two deceased Proxians, was her older brother, a pillar of support she could always count on, and Isaac… Isaac was...

Well, perhaps she wasn't entirely clear (or entirely honest to herself) about her feelings towards Isaac, she would be damned if she let some blue-haired tart get her talons on him!

With such thoughts occupying her mind, the flame-haired burning-eyed Adept very nearly missed the two shadows that descended upon her from the top of the main mast. Nearly, but not quite, as her battle instincts, drilled into her from time upon time upon time of finding herself in sudden mortal peril, from a million ambushes of a million different beasts that inhabited the uninhabited areas of Weyward, now kicked in and warned her a fraction of a second before the shadows were upon her. With a move that bespoke of great practice and familiarity, her right hand went to the shortsword she kept constantly strapped to her waist, and in her left hand a blazing flame that was not there a moment ago appeared. A half-turn took her out from directly under the descending shadows and in place for an attack. As she spun and drew her sword, ready to in one move incinerate one and disembowel the other with her blade, she came face to face with her attackers…

And promptly fell on her behind, losing her balance in her attempt to stop her halfway-launched attack from hitting the slim figure that had just landed in front of her.

-IVAAAAAAAN! She yelled this time, giving the unruffled, sandy-haired Jupiter Adept a thorough once-over to ensure she had not injured him anywhere by accident. Fuelled by both her anger for the foolish prank and her relief the younger boy appeared to be entirely unharmed, her tongue-lashing was fierce. "What were you thinking, dropping in on me like that, you brat? I could have killed you but for the space of one more breath!". "And you!" She whirled around to Sheba, the second shadow, standing equally unharmed behind her, having momentarily delayed her landing to erect the barrier of wind that had shielded her from Jenna's attack. "I might have expected this from Ivan, but why did you allow this, Sheba? And just what were you two doing up there, anyway?"

Ignoring Ivan's cry of "Hey! Who are you calling a brat!" , Sheba replied in her usual low tone: "I'm sorry. We were watching ahead, looking for land or potential enemies, when we decided to get down due to the cold. We didn't see you until after we had jumped".

Jenna, suddenly feeling a headache coming on, put her hand on her head: "And jumping from a mast three times a grown man's height, without checking what's below first, seemed like a reasonable way to descend?"

"And why not? Jupiter Adepts can fall from any height without harm, as you know." At this, Ivan, who was half-glaring at Jenna with his arms crossed, took on a smug look. "Also, I believe dinner was mentioned?"

"I can't believe this" Jenna said, flabbergasted. "You HEARD me coming and didn't bother to check where I was? What would you have done if I hadn't seen you falling in time and you'd landed on my head?"

"Taken you to Piers for healing, of course". Sheba stated matter-of-factly.

At this, Jenna placed her other hand on her head, now firmly pressing her . Definitely a headache. "That's so wrong, I don't even… Listen, while you were up here, did you happen to see Felix or Isaac? I called out to them, but they didn't answer."

-Why, yes, I spotted them by the wheelhouse, at the prow, I believe…

And with that, Sheba departed towards the open hatch leading below decks. As Jenna prepared to take off again, Ivan grabbed her from the elbow.

"Hey, Jenna. I don't think you should interrupt them right now. You see, from up there, it looked like they were going at it pretty heatedly… Dueling, you know?"

-Dueling? As if the sound of the word was foreign, Jenna froze in her tracks and turned towards Ivan. He dropped his hand from her elbow as if it'd been burned, hurriedly turned around and took off at a jog barely below an outright run. After all, scaring Jenna (for whether Sheba had truly not noticed her or only pretended not to he didn't know, but his fall had been accurately aimed to land directly behind the Mars Adept) and enduring her nagging afterwards were one thing, but everybody in the ship had learned (and even more now after the stunt that had just taken place below) that when Jenna's eyes started glowing more red than brown, it was time to tuck tail and run, no matter what the argument. For her part, Jenna found the cold and spray no longer irritated as the air above her was distorted from the heat she was emitting and tiny flames began erupting in her footsteps. "So, they ignored me calling them to dinner in favor of dueling, eh?" All the pent-up rage she hadn't quite gotten to release on Garret, Mia or the Jupiter Adepts was about to get expressed. Physically.

_(And that's it for chapter 2. I know I'd promised the Duel of the Leaders would take place in this chapter, but this-and-that working the way into the narrative ballooned Sheba and Ivan's introduction and I'm out of time to type in. And so, rather than wait for the next time I get to type in order to release a mega-chapter I'll just post this ordinary chapter now instead and keep the audience waiting for more. Yeah. Right. Anyway, look forward to the next one, because There Will Be Blood.)_


End file.
